Monye insists he is innocent
|Published
04/07/2013. Chanelle Henning murder accused Ambrose Monye sitting in the doc in the Pretoria High Court. Picture: Oupa Mokoena 04/07/2013. Chanelle Henning murder accused Ambrose Monye sitting in the doc in the Pretoria High Court. Picture: Oupa Mokoena
Pretoria - The State completed its cross-examination of former Nigerian Olympic athlete Ambrose Monye on Monday in connection with the murder of Pretoria mother Chanelle Henning.
Prosecutor Gerrie Nel detailed the State's case against Monye in the High Court in Pretoria, explaining how he believed Monye was involved in Henning's murder.
Monye denied having any part in it.
“My lord, I never gave instructions to anybody,” Monye said.
Henning, 26, died in a drive-by shooting in Faerie Glen on November 8, 2011, shortly after dropping off her child at a creche.
Monye and his co-accused Andre Gouws have pleaded not guilty to five charges relating to an alleged conspiracy to murder Henning.
The State alleges Monye and Gouws conspired with former policeman Gerhardus “Doepie” du Plessis and Willem “Pike” Pieterse (alias Tattoo).
Du Plessis and Pieterse are serving 18-year prison terms after confessing to their roles in the murder.
On Monday, Nel said Gouws wanted someone killed and he asked Monye to assist him. He detailed how Monye met Pieterse and how he was impressed by him.
“You knew that he would hurt people,” Nel said, adding Monye later asked Pieterse at a braai if he would kill someone.
“Nothing like that (happened) my lord,” Monye said.
Nel said Monye introduced Gouws to Pieterse and Du Plessis on November 2, 2011. He said Monye insisted the two follow Gouws to Henning's house and workplace.
Monye denied this.
“They followed (Gouws) willingly,” he told the court.
Nel explained how Pieterse and Du Plessis failed to kill Henning days before she was murdered and how Monye arranged a meeting at Romans Pizza in Sunnyside, Pretoria, to iron out the problems.
“My lord there was nothing like that. I never arranged a meeting for such things,” Monye said.
He denied threatening Du Plessis when he allegedly no longer wanted to take part in the murder.
Nel referred to cellphone records showing calls between Monye and Pieterse and between Monye and Gouws on the day of the murder.
Nel said Monye demanded payment for the murder on November 8, 2011, and Gouws withdrew R44 000 from his bank account that same day. A few days later R31 500 was deposited into Monye's account.
He said this was payment for the murder.
“My lord, I never demanded any money from anybody,” Monye said.
Nel finished his cross-examination and Daan Mostert, for Gouws, will question Monye next. - Sapa